The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 21 OCTOBER 2024 – TOPIC: WORKING UNDER UNGODLY LEADERSHIP
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THE DAILY FOUNTAIN
DAILY DEVOTIONAL OF THE
CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)
DATE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024
TOPIC: WORKING UNDER UNGODLY LEADERSHIP
READ: 1 SAMUEL 14: 24-52 (NKJV)
14:24. And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed [is] the man who eats [any] food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.
14:25. Now all [the people] of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground.
14:26. And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
14:27. But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that [was] in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened.
14:28. Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed [is] the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.
14:29. But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
14:30. “How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”
14:31. Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint.
14:32. And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered [them] on the ground; and the people ate [them] with the blood.
14:33. Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood!” So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.”
14:34. And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man’s ox and every man’s sheep, slaughter [them] here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered [it] there.
14:35. Then Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD.
14:36. Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”
14:37. So Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day.
14:38. And Saul said, “Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today.
14:39. “For [as] the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him.
14:40. Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
14:41. Therefore Saul said to the LORD God of Israel, “Give a perfect [lot.”] So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.
14:42. And Saul said, “Cast [lots] between my son Jonathan and me.” So Jonathan was taken.
14:43. Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, and said, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that [was] in my hand. So now I must die!”
14:44. And Saul answered, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”
14:45. But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! [As] the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
14:46. Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
14:47. 47 So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he [e]harassed them. 48 And he gathered an army and attacked[f] the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.
49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, [g]Jishui, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.
THE MESSAGE:
The Israelites were sad because Saul, with an oath, had forbidden anyone from eating food until evening. The people complied but Jonathan who was not aware of the oath had eaten honey he found in the forest. After a tough battle with the Philistines that day, the people were very hungry and they ate raw animal meat. On hearing this, King Saul ordered them to eat cooked meat. However, when he asked counsel of God whether he should pursue the Philistines that night, God did not answer him. Saul attributed it that an Israelite had sinned and should be killed. When it was discovered that the culprit was Jonathan, Saul wanted to kill him but the people rescued Jonathan from being killed. Godly leadership brings joy, unlike wicked leadership (Proverbs 29: 2).
Are you suffering under a bad leader in the home, office, school or market place? Is your life threatened by insecurity due to bad leadership your village, town, state or country? You need to trust God and acknowledge him and He will guide you (Proverbs 3:5-6). In spite of what is challenging your life, Christ has won the victory.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to trust You always
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